Merry Christmas!

I have not dropped off the face of the planet...just been very busy.  We have had birthdays, family gatherings, lots of activities and sickness (yuck!!). Just wanted to pop in and say I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

I am so grateful for my Savior and love the opportunity we have to celebrate His birth each year!  

Family Pics

We had our family pics taken a couple weeks ago by my friend Charlee.  She did a great job...us not so much! My two little boys would NOT cooperate but we did come up with a few keepers.  

The whole crew...Tyler would not look at the camera and Peter's face is a little obscured but overall I am really happy with it.

 Me and my hubby. 

 My four dapper boys.

 My 3 sweet girls.

Aprons for sell!!!

I have had many requests for my aprons, so I have decided to sell some this month 

to supplement my Christmas fund! :)

They are all reversible.  I can make them with a pocket or without.  Also, I can monogram on the pocket.  The sash can be tied in the back or wrapped around the front and tied.  The pics below are of two that I just made and sold for a lady who taught a scrap booking class and wanted scrapin' momma on the pocket.  I can do pretty much anything embroidery wise on the pocket.  

Just contact me with any questions! 

For a plain apron with no pocket it is $20.  

For an apron with a pocket $22. 

For an apron with a monogram $25.

Down To Earth Granola

This is seriously my favorite recipe for granola. I cannot claim it, it is my dear friend Trish's recipe!

4 cups old fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups sliced almonds

1/2-3/4 cups brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4-1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup oil (I use coconut oil)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups raisins, craisins, or mixture of dried fruit

Bake 300 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. (I cook it at 250, my oven just cooks it too fast at 300 and I tend to burn it) 

In a bowl mix oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a saucepan warm oil and honey.  Stir in vanilla.  Carefully pour liquid over oat mixture and stir with a spoon.  Spread on a 15x0 baking sheet.  Bake per instructions above.  Cool completely, then add raisins or other dried fruit.

**I usually use less brown sugar and more honey.
This recipe is very versatile.  I have added wheat germ, other spices...really whatever you think of you can probably add to it.

Super Saturday

Gratitude vinyl

(you provide 8x10 frame & scrapbook paper)

$1.00

SUPPLY LIST FOR GRATITUDE DRY ERASE BOARD

This is such a fun, quick and easy project to make.  You just need to grab an 8x10 frame or something close to those measurements and a piece of your favorite scrapbook paper.  You can get frames at the Dollar Tree and paint them if you want a specific color.  I have also seen great bargains at Savers and Goodwill.  I don’t know about you, but I had a bunch just laying around in the basement just begging for a re-purpose!  Also, this is the time of year to get dry erase markers on clearance to make your gift complete!  A final note – if you want to embellish your board you can bring a 2”x18” or thereabouts scrap 

of fabric and I can show you how to make rolled flowers to glue onto the board.

 Chocolate Magnet

(everything provided)

$1.75

 Nativity Ornament

(Everything provided)

$2.25 

SUPPLY LIST FOR SHADOW BOXES

You can select a 5x7 or 8x10 or even a square 6x6 or 8x8 shadow box.  I have found that the most economical place to get them is at Michaels.  They even sell a 3 pack of the 8x10s or a 4 pack of the 5x7s.  These run 19.99.  If you use a 40% off coupon you obviously save lots.  Also, if you just watch the ads, they frequently are 50% off which ends up being $10 for your 3 pack or 4 pack.  They also have 5x7s sold individually which come in white or black.  These cost a little more but are much wider and can accommodate pretty large bells.  If you are making the “Let it snow” box then it doesn’t matter the depth of your shadow box.  However, if you are making the “Jingle all the way” box then you need to pay close attention as to the depth of your box and not get bells that are bigger than your box.  Again, I purchased bells 1 package at a time with 40% or 50% off coupons.  You could always bring your kids with you and each have a coupon so that you can purchase everything in one stop.  Wal-mart also has bells reasonably priced in your basic brass and silver colors in several sizes.  You will also need a piece of scrapbook paper (something snowy for the Let it snow box or something Christmasy for the Jingle all the way box).  Lastly, you need to go back to your sign-up after you purchase your shadow boxes to let me know if you want small or large, white or black vinyl.  The “small” will fit the 5x7s and the 6x6s and the “large” will fit the 8x10 and the 8x8 boxes.  I would assume you would only want white vinyl if you purchased a white box.  

Jingle All the Way Shadow Box 

Vinyl Only

$1.50

Let it Snow Shadow Box 

Vinyl Only

 $1.50

Believe Pennant Banner

(Everything provided)

$6.00

Etched Name (for a loaf pan you provide)

**Etching cream will only be available the day of super Saturday

$2.75

Kitchen Towel Holder

(Everything provided but the towel)

$2.75

My pinterest challenge...homemade detangler

I saw a recipe on pinterest for homemade detangler.

I put the link to the pin above, but let me say I tweaked it.  It was a bit to greasy for my liking.  Her recipe called for 1 part conditioner to 5 parts water.  I ended up adding quite a bit more water...like I filled my 8oz. spray bottle up halfway with water to the 1 T. of conditioner.  So, what do I think of the conditioner...AMAZING!  I am so glad I did this because my bottle of suave conditioner was only a dollar and some change.  It will last forever!  I let my girls pick out the conditioner scent and it smells yummy!  This pinterest challenge was a winner!!!! YAY!!

Charity is 13

Time is flying, she was my little girl and now she is already 13!  

Some fun things about Charity.

1.  She has an amazing voice!

2.  She loves to draw.

3.  She loves to write.

4.  She is a great big sister. (most the time;))

5.  She enjoys reading.

6.  She loves buttered popcorn...the microwave kind only!!

7.  She plays the piano.

8.  She can bake a pretty mean loaf of bread.

9.  She is a great friend.

10.  She has a compassionate heart!

11. She has a very jovial laugh!

12.  She is starting to enjoy doing genealogy.

13.  She always takes up two cushions of the couch with all of her stuff that apparently she always has to have with her...her purse, a few books, her phone, and who knows what else!

Charity, you are a beautiful daughter of our Heavenly Father and I am so glad you are a part of our family.  You are helping me to grow as a mother and I can't wait for when you are older and we can be the best of friends!  Love you lots!!

Tyler has one hard head!!

This little guy hit Gracie in the face with his head (on accident of course!!) and knocked her front tooth out.  This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, the tooth was loose already, but by the volume of her scream and how long she cried I am pretty sure it hurt.  You can see the mark above her lip...yeah, that is where her tooth went through her lip. I guess not her lip but well you can see above her lip.  So it was an exciting day yesterday! 

Christians Star Wars Birthday

OK so this post is a little late...considering it happened last December but, I thought I would share what we did last year for Christian's birthday. 

I totally cheated and my cupcake lightsabers!

 All the food had some sort of starwars name, such as Yoda Soda.

 I don't know who had more fun...Christian at his party or me doing the decorating!

Grace's Birthday Party

We had a carnival for Grace's Birthday Party...It was a crazy amount of work but, soo worth it.  The kids had a blast and I am glad we did it.  We have decided thought that it will be a party reserved for their 8th birthday!

We had a photo booth.

 Bowling

 Ring toss, Bean Bag Toss, Water Blaster

 Cutest balloon maker! ;)

 The deck had hot dogs, nachos, sno cones, popcorn, cotton candy and birthday cake.

I am being mobbed here by kids who want more prizes! YIKES!!

 My sweet sister making sno cones like crazy...she got a little backed up there for a while!

Tyler is ONE!

I am a little behind on posting!! This little guy turned one the day after Grace turned 8.

 He really enjoyed his cake...

 and this is what he looked like 3 pieces later!!!!

Frost On The Pumpkin Pie

Yeah, I know it is only August...I seriously looooove pumpkin!!  I am posting a recipe I have not made because I don't want to lose it! As soon as I make it I will edit this post and let you know if it is yummy and I will post a pic!

1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 qt butter pecan ice cream, slightly softened
one 9-in graham cracker pie shell
2 Tbsp chopped pecans

1. Mix pumpkin, brown sugar, pie spice and salt in a bowl until blended.  Fold in thawed topping.
2.  Spoon ice cream into pie shell; spread evenly to edges.  Top with pumpkin mixture, making swirls with the back of a spoon.
3.  Freeze pie uncovered at least 3 hours, or wrap airtight and freeze up to 1 month.
4.  To serve:  Let pie stand at room temperature about 15 minutes for ice cream and topping to soften, then sprinkle with nuts.

Grace Isabel

My sweet, ornery, fun, strong-willed daughter has turned 8!!

I love this girl with all my heart, but I have to say it hasn't always been easy!

A few things about Grace...

She is a very strong-willed girl.

She loves stuffed animals, really any toy animal.

She is my early to bed, early riser...my other kids are not this way.

She could spend every day from morning till night outside.

She has cut her hair, by herself, about a dozen times.  (not successfully by the way);)

She is a great big sister.

She likes to sing and dance.

She has just discovered "girl" legos and loves them.

I am so grateful we have been blessed to have Grace in our lives these past 8 years and am looking forward to what the next year holds with this vibrant daughter of Heavenly Father.

Love you Gracie!

I will blog more this weekend about her baptism that will happen this Friday.  We are so excited for her choice to get baptized and make covenants with her Heavenly Father!

Pinterest Recipe...Waffle Iron Cookies

Chocolate Chip Waffle Iron Cookies!

We have actually made these twice now!  Super easy and Super YUMMY!!

 The thing I love most about this recipe is that I don't have to heat my house up making cookies...just my waffle iron!  My kids gobbled them up as quickly as I could get them off the waffle iron!

So this recipe gets a big 'ole thumbs up!!!!

Pinterest Recipe...School Lunch Peanut Butter Bars

School Lunch Peanut Butter Bars 

Image is from the blog these recipes came from that I linked above.  I forgot to take a pic. of my own.

These bars were said to be amazing!  We tried them out today and decided they were pretty good but not our favorite.  Would I suggest these to anyone? Sure, they would be great for bringing on a picnic as opposed to our favorite peanut butter bars.  (I will have to share that recipe sometime)  So I will give this one a thumbs up but, not our favorite one!

And it goes on and on....

Seriously, we are sick at our house AGAIN!!! And this time it's me.  I have a nasty head cold.  I am so sick of sickness, this summer has been such a bummer.  We have been sick for the past 5 weeks and I am just tired!

I love that toothy grin!

My days consist of this toothy grin!  He is either doing this or screaming because I walked out of the room or someone took something he wasn't supposed to have away from him.  

 And yes, that is remnants of his dinner on his face! I just can't get enough of that grin, it makes me grin!

Happy 4th of July!!

I made my girls these outfits...where did my inspiration come from you ask?  Why pinterest of course!!  I saw this tutorial for the skirts.  I didn't use the tutorial because they seemed easy enough but, I am sure if you use the tutorial they should be easy to whip up.  They both only took about an hour together.  I also saw the shirts here on pinterest. 

 Here is a pic of my kiddos all decked out...well at least the ones young enough to let me influence what they wear still! :)

 This is the girls on the fourth sporting their denim waist band tutus that I made for them.  The kids all tie dyed their shirts and that was pretty fun for them.  The die didn't turn out as vibrant as I would have liked but oh well.

 And last but not least a little sign I put together, also inspired by pinterest, to decorate my front porch.  I looooove my silhouette!